What can you do with old calendar pages?

"Can you do something for me with these old Switzerland calendars I have?" my cousin asked me. Every year I send him a new calendar for Switzerland. "I just hate to throw them away."

"Sure," I replied. And so he sent them to me. These are the calendars before.

And these are the calendars in their second life as a journal. To make the journal I used different papers—some lined for writing, heavy ones for photos, decorative scrapbook paper—and a ring binding so that he is free to change it all around or add to it. The covers are Zutter chipboard that I covered with calendar pages. The front cover shows all the emblems for the cantons in Switzerland. This is for a guy so I kept embellishments simple—some Suisse stickers, washi tape, tags. I attached an elastic band to keep it all shut.

Here is the title page.

All the calendars are not the same size. I cut larger pages the same size as the journal and glued them front to back so there's an image on each side (the left side below). I centered smaller pages. Page tabs were die cut from scrapbook paper I used on the inside covers.

Lined paper for writing.

Heavier blank paper for photos.

Smaller leftover calendar pages were made into tags that he can use for gift giving. There are plastic pockets in the journal for little souvenirs.

Among these calendars were three years when he visited us. I saved those pages where he'd noted his trip.

The back cover photo is so typical of a Suisse town.

This was his birthday present this year and I'm pleased to say he loved it.